Machaka screwed more than ever ?

[Verjigorm]

I'll also add that, IMO, the critical paths for any pretender build for Machaka are:

Air
Astral

Machaka doesn't have either path available from a recruitable unit.

You need Astral to get certain protective items most notably Pendant of Luck and Amulet of Anti-magic. It also gives access to the rings of power which, I must admit, I hate trying to play without.

On CBM, Tomes of Water Breathing are path 1N, so that gives Machaka access to the water. Spiders are big, though, and that makes tomes less palatable than Barrels which, are the most gem-efficient water travel items available. Air Magic is not as useful in attacking underwater, but on an SC pretender, gives access to better buff spells. Obviously, a rainbow pretender will probably have both. Adding the ability for the pretender to forge the Staff of Elemental Mastery to further boost the Black Sorcerer's paths (since they don't do Communions) and, secondarily, the Staff of Storms is probably more useful than any benefit conveyed by water magic on the pretender.

Oh! The Black Sorcerer is the perfect caster for Earthquake as well since his transformation allows him to survive it quite nicely. ^_^